Various after market accessories have been used to illuminate components of a motor vehicle, such the underside of a vehicle, wheels and exhaust pipes. One known device is a neon light that is attached to an underside of the vehicle to generate a glowing effect that radiates from underneath the vehicle.
Another known device is attached to an exterior of a body panel and directed to a wheel to illuminate the wheel. The lighting device includes a sensor that monitors the rotation of the tire and has components to synchronize or strobe light flashes from a flash generator with information a sidewall of the tire. Thus, the tire appears to be stationary. A further example of a known lighting accessory for wheels is a device that provides a lighting effect to, through and around a wheel of a vehicle. This is done by shining a light from a light source on the inside portion of the wheel rim, which has slots, holes or grooves.
Other accessories have been used to illuminate an exhaust or tailpipe of an vehicle. One known device describes an illuminating apparatus that includes fan blades positioned within an exhaust pipe. Discharged exhaust gas flows drive the fan blades, which rotate and drive components to generate electric power to activate light emitting diodes (LED's), thereby forming a rotating lighting ring.
Known illumination devices for motor vehicles, however, have been used primarily to illuminate exterior components rather than internal components of a motor vehicle, such as components in the engine compartment. It is known to include a light within the engine compartment, e.g., a light that is attached to an underside of a hood, to enable a person to view the engine in a dark environment. However, these lighting systems are not integrated into engine components, have limited uses and typically do not improve the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle.
It would be desirable to have aesthetic illumination effects under the hood of an vehicle to further improve the appearance of the vehicle and to provide further customization options. Embodiments of the invention fulfill these needs.